Ramble: The Dyson Project

So 98% of my creative output that gets shown to others is Aketi based (fantasy universe/world), and while I do explore some traditionally scifi concepts in it... sometimes you just wanna play with armored dudes in space with flamethrowers and mech suits. To scratch that Starcraft itch, I have the Dyson Project. It's still a burgeoning concept that I'm building on here and there over time, mostly expressed through miniatures rn, but it does have lore behind it and tonight for some reason I want to ramble about it! Without further ado~ 

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Dyson Marine miniature

The Dyson Project is a group of humans who are attempting to secure, repair, and stabilize an old derelict Dyson swarm* in order to prepare it for the arrival of a desperate population of humans cut off from larger networks, running out of power and supplies. However, this Dyson swarm has all sorts of problems... not all of which are mechanical. Various entities have also made themselves a place in the Dyson swarm platform. Some may be other travelers or refugees, wary but open to diplomacy or alliance, but many are actively hostile - scrappers stripping old technology and parts, infestations of vermin species, or even whispers of those long gone that haunt the walls.

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Perhaps most threatening of all however, is a monstrous alien creature that seems impossible to eradicate, and particularly interested in tasting human flesh. On top of these biological threats, there are mechanical and logistical ones - the platforms are old, and some are crumbling, many of which prone to sudden failure. Caution must be exercised when exploring to avoid disasters, for one small mistake can be the difference between safety and being blown into space.

The reclamation effort is led by the Iron Eagles, a tradition of skilled, armored knights which has been dedicated to protecting the civilian population and leading them to safety for the many long years and generations of their journey. All Iron Eagles have their own designation in addition to the Iron Eagle insignia, and that designation is usually passed down from mentor to student, along with the suit itself if it is not lost in combat.

Other supporting roles in the Project's cohorts include suited troops of varying niches (such as Dyson Marines), mechs and tools such as the Dirtbuster (the original Dirtbusters were mining equipment, which were then retrofitted with combat modifications), and specialists. When approaching a new platform (small individual satellite/ship in the Dyson swarm configuration), the security forces ensure that the platform is free from threats, assess the damages, and make basic repairs to stabilize any immediate issues. Then the specialists start coming in and making more substantitive repairs and retrofits to bring life support and basic systems online, usually issuing a list of materials that will then need to be scavenged from other, less habitable platforms.

The eventual goal of the Dyson Project is to create a permanent, sustainable home for the human migratory population to build a safe and bright future.

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Currently the Dyson Project is mostly explored via miniatures, and honestly I'm not sure what the more 'full' version of their lore and stories will be told through - tabletop games, video games, books, something else - or if it'll remain something that I just ramble about and make minis for (currently available minis through TcKobold are the Dyson Marines, Dirtbuster, and Iron Eagle, though I'm working on more lol). But I figured it'd be fun to discuss it!

*From Wikipedia: "A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure that encompasses a star and captures a large percentage of its power output." [And a Dyson Swarm is just a form of that where the megastructure is actually a fleet of smaller structures, rather than one large sphere/ring/etc]